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For crust: Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; process using on/off turns until small moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 30 minutes.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter pie dish. Fold overhang under, forming high-standing rim. Crimp edges decoratively. Freeze 15 minutes. Brush crust all over with yolk. Bake until crust is set but still pale, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

For filling: Whisk first 12 ingredients in large bowl. Pour into crust. Bake until filling is set, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack. Sprinkle nuts and toffee around edge of hot pie, forming border. Cool pie completely. (Can be made 6 hours ahead--I make it the night before and it's fine. Let stand at room temperature.)

Makes 8-10 servings

Bon Appétit
November 2000

NOTES : Here are my changes...I just used 1 cup of half and half instead of 2/3 cup whipping cream and 1/3 cup whole milk, I used a different pie crust recipe (the one in my KA food processor manual), instead of 1/4 t. of nutmeg I used 1/2 t. ground mace (not sure if I needed to double and next time will use freshly grated nutmeg), I used a little less walnuts and next time will use 1/2 cup toffee bits and 1/3 cup toasted walnuts instead of the other way around.

Pumpkin Mousse Pie
Chocolatier Archives
Yield: 8 servings
Difficulty:**
Preparation: 1 1/2 hours plus baking, cooling and chilling times
Gingersnap pecan crust:
Vegetable oil, for pie plate
1 1/4 cups finely crushed ginger snap cookies (about 24 cookies)
3/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin mousse:
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon water
2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch, spooned into a measuring cup and
leveled with the straight edge of a knife
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk, used in two separate measurements
2 large egg yolks
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin purée
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
Decoration:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons dark rum
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely crushed ginger snap cookies
Make the gingersnap pecan crust:
1. Lightly coat the bottom and side of a 9-inch glass pie plate with oil.
2. In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, combine the gingersnap crumbs, pecans and sugar. Process for 5 to 10 seconds, until the mixture is finely ground. Add the melted butter to the cookie crumb mixture and pulse 3 to 6 times, until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Scrape the mixture into the oiled pie plate. Using your fingers, press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Freeze the pie crust for 15 to 25 minutes, until firm.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
5. Bake the chilled pie crust for 10 to 15 minutes, until the bottom of the crust bounces back when gently pressed with a finger. Do not overbake. The crust will become firm when cool. Let the crust cool on a wire rack while preparing the pumpkin mousse filling.
Pumpkin mousse filling:
1. Put the rum and water in a small heat proof cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the mixture and let the gelatin soften for 5 minutes.
2. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir with a small wire whisk until blended. While continuing to stir slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the milk. Add the egg yolks and stir until blended. Stir in the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to bubble. Stop stirring and let the mixture boil for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately stir in the softened gelatin until completely dissolved. Stir in the pumpkin.
4. Press the hot mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a large noncorrosive bowl. Set the bowl with the hot mixture over a larger bowl of ice water. Stir for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is cool and starts to thicken. Remove the bowl from the bowl of ice water. Stir in the vanilla.
5. In a chilled large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer or wire whisk, whip the cream until soft mounds barely start to form and the cream is still pourable. Do not overwhip the cream.
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cool pumpkin mixture just until blended. Immediately scrape the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Smooth the top of the mousse with the back of a soup spoon.
7. Refrigerate the pie for 3 to 4 hours, until set.
Decorate the pie:
In a chilled large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer or wire whisk, whip the cream with the sugar, rum and vanilla until stiff peaks start to form.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a closed star tip (such as Ateco #4) with the whipped cream. Pipe lines diagonally across the surface of the pie filling, about an inch apart. Pipe more lines on the diagonal to intersect the first, creating a lattice effect. Pipe a shell border around the edge of the pie. Sprinkle the piped lattice with ginger snap crumbs.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

"Comfy? I'm chained in a bathtub drinkin' pig's blood from a novelty mug. Doesn't rank huge in the Zagut's Guide."

I like a very simple pie that showcases a few high-quality ingredients: fresh pumpkin, cream, eggs, and spices, served with a dollop of whipped cream. I never really cared for pumpkin pie until my sister, who grows her own pumpkins, made a pie from a pumpkin from her own garden -- PURE HEAVEN!!! Fresh pumpkin has a lighter, less pronounced pumpkin flavor than the canned, which is why I think I prefer it. I will have to call my sister for her recipe -- I'm not sure if I have it.

Combine first 3 ingredients and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal and is pale yellow (about 3 1/2 minutes). Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time over surface; toss with a fork until flour is moistened and mixture is crumbly (do not form a ball.)

Gently press mixture into a 4 inch circle on a sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap; chill 15 minutes. Roll dough, still covered, to a 13 inch circle; place in freezer 5 minutes or until wrap can be removed easily. Remove bottom sheet. Fit dough into a 9 inch pie plate; remove top sheet. Trim excess dough, and set aside. Fold edges under and flute; set aside.

Shape remaining dough into a ball and place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; roll to 1/8 inch thickness, and freeze 5 minutes. Cut out 2 maple leaf-shaped pieces of dough; cover and freeze.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, and next 8 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until well blended. Pour into pastry shell; arrange maple leaves on top of filling. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Whew! My notes, I don't use cake flour, just all-purpose. The dough needs to be very well chilled or it will tear when you take the plastic wrap off. That's my only gripe with this recipe. I normally skip the yogurt. It's just supposed to take the place of whipped cream, but personally I think yogurt is gross! I just eat the pie plain, but with whipped cream or yogurt is good too. The best part is plucking a maple leaf off the tree out front so I can have nice pretty leaves for the top of the pie.

Leigh

"Mommy, Can we Please, Please, Please have spinach for dinner?" DD2(age 6)

Method
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender until creamy smooth. Add pumpkin, suar, vanilla and spices; blend well. Pour into a 9" unbaked deep dish pie shell. Bake approximately 15 minutes, then turn down to 350 and bake additional 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool and serve.

Thoreau said, 'A man is rich in proportion to the things he can leave alone.'

I simply adore this recipe. I found it on the BB last year, posted by Peeps. The bonus is that it's light, but there is absolutely no compromise on the flavor, since the gorgeous spices and the gingersnap crust add so much character. I made it 3 times last year during the holidays and I can't wait to make it again- no one believes that it's light!

POSTED BY PEEPS OCT 2001Here you go! I've made it many many times and its fantastic. I did find that I had better luck with it in a metal pan than in a glass pan - don't know why, that's just what I noticed. I usually use ground ginger if I don't have fresh and pumpkin pie spice for the 5-spice but I'll post it as written.

If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in! Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Gee, guess which one I make? I was going to post that fabu gingersnap crust one again but KValley beat me to it - glad everyone's enjoying the recipe - I'm salivating already thinking of making it this year!

2. With pastry blender, cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles crumbs. (It will look like cornmeal. Add ice water (it must be very cold) one tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly. Dough should be just moist enough to hold together in a ball. Make sure it is not sticky. Form into ball and refrigerate until ready to use.

1. In food processor, add pecan pieces, dark brown sugar, and butter. Process until ingredients hold together like a paste, making sure the pecans are a fine "meal." Press very firmly into bottom only of the pie crust so it will not float up during baking.

2. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy with hand-mixer or standing mixer. Then with mixer on low, or stirring by hand, add in order the rest of the ingredients. Beat only until well mixed. Pour slowly into praline lined crust.

3. Bake in oven checking after 45 minutes. Cover edges of crust to prevent oven browning. Pie is done when filling is set but still slightly jiggly in center. Depending on oven 45-55 minutes total. Remove from oven and let cool on counter until room temperature. Chill in refrigerator.

I usually like to try new pie recipes at Thanksgiving, however, my family will only let me make one pumpkin pie. It's the Ultimate Pumpkin Pie from Bon Appetit. (You can find it on the epicurious site although I've given the recipe here.) The good thing is that it is so easy. The crust can be a little tricky-it can end up sort of soft and floppy- so I recommend making your favorite pie crust. Just don't leave out the apricot preserves. They make the pie.

THE ULTIMATE PUMPKIN PIE

Pumpkin pie was introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving in 1623. Decorate this American classic with some whipped cream, or serve the cream alongside.

Have made this one for 30 years; BEFORE they told us absolutely, positively, no raw eggs in a recipe. I justify it by figuring the yolks are cooked, and the whites go into the cooked mixture before it's completely cool. I find those who don't like the "heaviness" of traditional pumpkin pie like this version.

for Thanksgiving. It is really good. The toffee-walnut topping is so good I wished I covered the whole pie! I admit to buying store-bought crust but I had 2 pies to make yesterday which I had to fit in while my dd was napping and ds was at school.
I think I'll go have another slice before going to bed.......Thanks for the recipe.

I made this for Thanksgiving. It got raves from everyone--even those who are normally lukewarm about pumpkin pie. I didn't know if I'd make it again, because it gets a "few" dishes dirty, but it was so well received that it's on my list of keepers.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line pie shell with a sheet of heavy-duty foil and fill with weights. Bake until fluting has lost its raw appearance and has started to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Remove foil, along with weights, and return pie to the oven until bottom of pie shell loses its raw appearance and starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

While pie shell bakes, heat pumpkin, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium saucepan, stirring, to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Add condenses and evaporated milks; cook until heated through. Puree eggs and yolks in a blender. With blender running, add a spoonful of the pumpkin filling at first, then add the rest quickly as eggs heat up; puree to form a silky-textured coating.